The First Time
by VAdarkwind
Summary: What if Lyla told Zac that she, Nixie, and Sirena were mermaids without letting Nixie and Sirena know? Would things be different if she did? And would it strain her friendship with Nixie and Sirena? Three-shot. Set in S1, E13.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Lyla closed her eyes as she recalled Zac telling her that he trusted her. She could envision his gaze perfectly... She remembered the feeling she felt when his gaze met hers fleetingly. She felt her heart racing as she imagined his hand holding hers. Despite the guilt churning within her, she couldn't help but feel pleased. A small smile crept on Lyla's face, and she opened her azure gaze. She was in Rita's grotto. Alone. _No, that's not right,_ Lyla thought as she saw a certain white cat with incredibly milky yellow-green eyes. Poseidon lashed out his tail and cocked his head at Lyla, as if to say, _tell him, tell him._

Lyla blushed. Maybe she was imagining that. Maybe it was just her self-conscience telling her that Poseidon wanted her to tell Zac that she was a mermaid. Ah, Zac, one of the complications in her life. Sure, he was sweet and had a boyishness that made Lyla smile, but... Lyla liked to think that they shared a connection... a special understanding with each other. Maybe she was kidding herself, but nevertheless, she enjoyed the feeling he gave her and—

Oh tides.

Why was she amusing herself with such traitorous thoughts? Lyla shook her head and sternly chastised herself in her head, _Stop it. He's just a stupid land boy._ And then, her self-conscience decided to tease her by saying something like, _A stupid land boy with endless depths of brown for eyes and a smile that stirs butterflies in your stomach and draws hope into your heart._ Lyla seethed her teeth but fought against chastising her self-conscience. It was weird enough without that.

"Lyla, it's a beautiful day. What're you doing here?"

Lyla turned and smiled at Rita. "Just thinking," she said, playing with a vial of who-knows-what absentmindedly.

"Can't you think outside?" the older mermaid inquired, but Lyla could see the amusement and affection in her gaze. Rita was such a great person—a good role model, a pleasant person to be around with. Lyla felt a wave of fondness for the older mermaid. Rita had been so kind to her. So kind to everyone. Out of all the mermaids ever, Lyla counted herself lucky to have Rita.

"Yes," Lyla responded, grinning. "But I might crash into something."

"Knowing you, I don't think that would happen."

"Maybe," Lyla half-consented. Lyla glanced absentmindedly on the ground.

"Lost in thought?"

"I keep thinking about—" Lyla cut herself off, embarrassed.

"Zac?" Rita guessed, the ghost of a smile on her face.

"Maybe."

"Lyla," Rita said, and Lyla cringed because she felt that Rita was going to chastise her. The tone sounded like it. Rita seemed almost hesitant. "Nixie and Sirena say that you want to tell Zac that you three are mermaids." Lyla didn't answer, which proved as much. "Lyla, you know you can't do that. You could expose the entire mer-world!"

"I know, I know," Lyla said, turning away dejectedly.

"Lyla... I know what it's like to—"

"I don't," Lyla said firmly. Rita smiled a little, like she was amused. "I don't," Lyla repeated. Oh who was she kidding? She wasn't convincing herself, let alone Rita. Lyla flushed a little. How did the older mermaid read her so well? "Can you really read me that well, or do you just believe what Nixie and Sirena say?"

"Your face lights up when he enters the room," Rita said with a small smile. "You watch his every move but not in the predatory kind of way. I can see the awe in your gaze, and I know you care about him." Rita shrugged softly. "Lyla, you might as well let go of him before you get seriously hurt. You belong in different worlds, and you know that."

"I know."

"You knowing isn't the same as you promising to leave him alone."

Lyla shot her a pained look. "I can't do that."

"I didn't think you'd say anything different, if you said anything at all, that is," Rita said.

Lyla stood up and shrugged helplessly. She said, "Tonight's a full moon. Zac wanted me, Nixie, and Sirena to be there... just in case anything happens to him."

"Did he ask the three of you or you in particular?" Rita said. When Lyla didn't answer, Rita shook her head and stroked Poseidon, who relaxed immediately at her touch. "Lyla," the older mermaid said, looking at Lyla in the eye, "you _do_ realize that you can't... you can't get involved with him. Not like this. Besides, a relationship needs honesty."

"Zac's not honest with Evie," Lyla pointed out and immediately regretted the words.

"You are more or less saying that you're in love, Lyla," Rita murmured, a sad, distant look in her eyes. Lyla felt a sharp pang in her chest because she knew that Rita was thinking about Harry... Lyla swallowed hard. "You have it lucky, Lyla. You still have time to change the course of your life. Be careful, Lyla."

"Thanks," Lyla said, hoping her gratitude shone out of her eyes. Rita must've understood because she smiled. Lyla nodded and headed out of the grotto, to Rita's mer-cave. Maybe, maybe Lyla didn't have feelings for Zac. No. She was kidding to herself. Besides, Zac was with Evie. That wouldn't change any time soon. Lyla swallowed hard and dove into the water, ignoring the churning emotions inside of her.

But she could feel her heart breaking.

* * *

Lyla arrived at Zac's house and felt her heart racing immediately. She gritted her teeth. How did a land boy have so much power over her? It was infuriating but... in the best way. Much to her chagrin, Lyla knew how much she was affected by a _land boy._ It was embarrassing, but... hey... _all_ girls got flustered and doe-eyed around their... No way. She was _not_ thinking that word. But she knew she was thinking it. As much as she despised to admit it, she had a crush on Zac. Yes, how very land girl-like of her.

The door was open, and she lingered by the threshold, unsure. He noticed her almost immediately and beckoned her in. Lyla strode in and immediately admired the way his t-shirt hugged his body. Blushing, she turned away, hoping he wouldn't notice. "Hey..." she said. _Wow, 'hey' is all you got?_ Lyla ignored her self-conscience. _Shut up,_ she chastised her self-conscience, which made her blush even more.

"Hey." How did he make _one word_ sound so cool? He smiled that annoyingly sweet smile at her that made Lyla feel like she was melting. She was pretty sure she was doing a perfect impersonation of a human traffic cone. "Thanks for coming," he said, smiling. "You know... I don't know how I could've made it here without you. You've been my rock through this whole... mess. And it's not like you even have to."

"Actually..." Lyla immediately closed her mouth and bit her lip as soon as she said the word. She gritted her teeth as Zac frowned at her. Oh, how was she going to dig herself out of _this_ mess? "I mean..." Lyla started, but she realized that she had no idea what she could say to cover up her slip up.

"What're you talking about?" He was dangerously close to her now, but it wasn't his presence that affected her this time. She was too afraid of revealing what she so desperately wanted to tell him. His dark gaze seared into hers, and Lyla knew at once that she was going to give in and tell him. She didn't speak, and he looked frustrated. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do! How can you even ask that?" Lyla didn't mean to, but she was upset.

"Then why won't you tell me?"

Lyla groaned. "You'd hate me."

"I could never hate you, Lyla," he assured her, squeezing her hand briefly. His touch was as light as butterflies brushing against flesh, but it felt electric to Lyla. He smiled again, as if to reassure her. "I couldn't hate you if I wanted to."

"What if it's really big?"

"How big are we talking?"

"As big as you being a merman."

He frowned at that. "What exactly are you keeping from me?"

"I..." Lyla found herself unable to speak. She hugged her knees and closed her eyes, as if daring the ground to open up and swallow her. She didn't want to say it. She feared what Zac would say. She recalled his earlier words. _I could never hate you. I couldn't hate you if I wanted to._ Lyla took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you this before... I wasn't allowed to. Sirena and Nixie... they don't want me to..."

"And yet, you want to tell me something that'll get you in trouble?" Tides, his gaze was unnerving.

"Yeah..." Lyla took a deep breath and forced herself to look directly into Zac's eyes. "I'm... I'm a mermaid," she said. Or, at least, that's what she _tried_ to say. It came out sounded garbled and distorted. Lyla took a deep breath and spoke clearly, "I'm a mermaid."

Zac's eyes widened so that Lyla could see the whites around his irises. He blanched so much that he looked more like a vampire. Then, he looked frustrated. He stood up, and Lyla looked at him, terribly resigned. He began to pace across the room, which didn't work very well with his height. Then, he whirled around and glared fiercely into Lyla's gaze. "How could you keep something like this from me?!" he yelled, and Lyla flinched. _"I thought you were my friend. Friends don't keep secrets from each other."_

"I told you," Lyla said meekly.

He exploded. "And you have the nerve to talk back?!" His gaze was cold. "You're not my friend."

Lyla didn't move. She just stood there, very still. Lyla didn't cry very much at all. She had cried when her mother had died, but after that, she developed into her stoic, stubborn personality. But now, in front of Zac, Lyla felt tears bud in her eyes. She felt them streak down her cheeks, and she was powerless to prevent them from falling. Lyla's vision blurred, and she was scarcely aware when Zac actually drew her into his arms. She leaned into his chest and cried, shuddering the whole time.

"Lyla..." came his helpless answer.

She didn't speak. When she stopped crying, she just leaned into his chest, breathing in harsh, rapid breaths. Her fingers were shaking, and Lyla knew at once that while crying, she had let out everything she had kept inside of her for so long. Then, she turned to Zac. "You're still mad. I didn't expect anything else."

"I didn't expect you to cry. I didn't think you could."

"I cried. Once. When my mother died." Lyla's lip quivered as she spoke those words. She already had a meltdown, and she wasn't looking forward to another one. She breathed in deeply and tilted her head upwards just so that their eyes could meet. It was a fleeting moment, and she knew that Zac wasn't angry with her anymore. After all, why would you be mad with someone who was crying? Even if you were, you couldn't stay mad at them for long. "Thank you," she mumbled.

"For what? I made you cry."

It hurt Lyla to hear him so down, so guilty. Instead of murmuring reassuring words, Lyla inquired, "Do you forgive me?"

He paused for a heartbeat. Then, his gaze locked onto hers. The pressure was overwhelming—in the best way. Lyla found herself breathless as words passed through their gazes. He took a deep breath, and his gaze seemed so light, so reassuring. He seemed as breathless as her. Lyla could feel her heart pounding so loud that she could've sworn that he could've heard it. She thought that she had misheard him when he murmured, "Yes," but when their gazes met again, Lyla knew that he meant it.

* * *

"Where _is_ she?" Nixie snapped. She glanced at Sirena, who shrugged helplessly. "She's probably with Zac," Nixie said, answering her own question. Sirena didn't deny it. Nixie and Sirena were currently at Rita's grotto. "Again," Nixie said, groaning. She watched Sirena play with Aquata's—now Sirena's—moon ring. The small band of silver complemented with a beautiful ocean-colored stone really set off Sirena's eyes.

"Well, she _did_ say that Zac wanted us to be there for tonight," Sirena pointed out.

 _Tonight._ Code work for _full moon.  
_

"Then let's head to Zac's," Nixie said with an exaggerated sigh. Okay, maybe not _that_ exaggerated.

Nixie and Sirena stood up. A mischievous glint lit up Sirena's eyes. "Race you to Zac's!" Sirena challenged.

Nixie, never one to give up, rushed to Rita's mer-cave, Sirena a breath behind her. Both leapt into the water and zoomed to Zac's. Nixie just managed to beat Sirena. She propelled herself out of the water and grinned at Sirena. "See? So much faster than you," Nixie said, echoing something she had said before—back when their lives were easier.

"You are _so_ not," Sirena said, catching on.

As soon as their tails dried, they rushed to Zac's house. The door was slightly ajar, and Nixie crossed the threshold. She skidded to a halt as she saw... Lyla and Zac. Zac was holding her, and Lyla was leaning into his chest. They had jumped apart when Nixie and Sirena had entered. No matter, Nixie had seen it. Nixie met Lyla's gaze daringly. "Well, you two, looks like you're getting along fine."

Lyla blushed and looked down, not meeting anyone's eyes. "Hey..."

"What did I just walk in on?" Nixie hissed to Lyla as she took a seat next to her.

"Nothing," Lyla hissed back, azure gaze revealing nothing.

"Thanks for coming," Zac said, still uncertain. "Finally," he added, as if he was trying to ease the tension. Then, he let out his breath frustratingly. "Well, it's getting late..." That was a not very well concealed lie. The sun had just begun to set. "I think we should try to... keep me out of the moonlight," he said. He turned to Lyla, who was uncharacteristically quiet. "Alright," Zac said, standing up.

Soon, every window was covered up. The only light in the room was the ceiling light. Nixie wondered if it just a coincidence, or if Lyla was deliberately avoiding Zac when covering up the windows. She couldn't avoid him much longer, and the two of the them sat down close to each other as Zac showed Lyla something on that tiny device of his. The apparatus with the annoyingly bright screen.

Nixie was sitting with Sirena, who looked mildly distracted. Nixie wanted to pursue the earlier topic about Lyla and Zac, and finally, after many heartbeats of blatant silence, Nixie whispered, "Did you see them? Earlier?" Nixie eyed Lyla and Zac to see if they had heard her words, but they were too busy caught up in a world of their own.

"Yeah," Sirena murmured. Then, in an almost embarrassed voice, Sirena added, "I think it's cute. They look at each other in a similar—if not the same—way David and I look at each other." Nixie made a face, and Sirena shook her head. "But I don't suppose you'd understand. I wouldn't expect you to." Then, Sirena said, almost comically, "You aren't a romantic."

"No, I'm not," Nixie agreed.

The sky darkened, and Nixie could see the light disappearing from behind the covered windows. She knew that the moon was rising. Nixie watched Zac put the tiny device with the glowing screen down. Nixie and Sirena stood up, approaching the door. Sirena beckoned Lyla to come, and Lyla reluctantly got up and strode over to them. Nixie stared at her disapprovingly. "You spend too much time with that land boy," she hissed.

Lyla blatantly ignored her and focused on Zac, whose breathing had grown harsh and rapid. He was shaking, albeit a little, and his fingers were drumming the desk in front of him in an irritated way. Nixie noticed Lyla's fingers curled into a certain position. Nixie frowned. Why was she—

"What're you doing?" Nixie demanded.

"Nothing," Lyla denied. "He's fighting the pull of moon by himself."

"Yeah, sure," Nixie retorted sharply. She noted that Lyla didn't try to help Zac anymore. At least, when Nixie wasn't watching. She could've sworn that she had seen Lyla try to help him when Nixie's head was turned. But Nixie had something called a peripheral vision, and she certainly wasn't stupid. Lyla probably knew that Nixie was onto her, but if she did, she made no acknowledgement about it.

"Lyla," Zac called out suddenly, and much to Nixie's annoyance and disapproval, Lyla hurried over to Zac, face compassionate, and she clasped his hands. Nixie shuddered. Honestly, how did it come to this? When Zac called for her, she came to him like her life depended on it. It was ridiculous, not to mention stupid.

"I'm here," she said. "Stay strong."

"What's she doing?" Nixie asked Sirena.

"Maybe Lyla can stop Zac from going to Mako," Sirena answered.

"The pull of the moon verses the land boy." Nixie shook her head. "He's doomed."

Nixie watched in disgust as Lyla continued to murmur encouraging words to Zac. Lyla's azure gaze was sparkling with passion and determination as she whispered to Zac. He nodded sometimes, and his shaking had eased. Nixie shook her head. She still thought that they should let Zac take the trident. Honestly, what was a stupid stick with points going to do?

Nixie used her powers to remove one of the coverings from a window. Moonlight streamed in, and Zac leapt out of his seat. Immediately, he strode over to the moonlight. The rays struck him, and it seemed as if he was almost glowing. Nixie could see the moon reflecting in his gaze. "What did you do?" Lyla yelled at her, gaze furious.

"I'm sorry," Nixie said, shrugging.

The group watched as Zac opened the door with his powers. He ran outside, Lyla at his heels. Nixie exchanged a glance with Sirena before running after them. She heard and saw the splashes of Lyla and Zac, and Nixie turned to Sirena. Sirena nodded discreetly, and they jumped in simultaneously, streaming after Lyla and Zac to Mako Island. With the moon shining brightly over their heads, Nixie couldn't help but wonder if she had made a mistake.

* * *

Zac propelled himself out of the water. His legs appeared once his tail was completely dry. He felt someone—maybe Lyla—running after him as he raced towards the land entrance on Mako. He heard her call his name, but he ignored her. Getting the trident was his number one priority. But, some part of him, wanted to turn around and run to Lyla. But that part was weak, and Zac couldn't bring himself to. He continued running towards the land entrance. He heard Lyla yell his name again, and Zac was almost blinded with rage. He turned around and thrust his hand at her. An invisible force flung her back, and Zac raced into the land entrance.

He raced inside the land entrance, and he heard feet thundering after him. Three pairs. Lyla, Sirena, and Nixie. No matter. They were too late. Zac's fingertips brushed against the trident symbol, and it glowed. Before even a heartbeat had passed, Zac was facing a large pool of water. His heart leapt. He was closer to the trident than ever. Zac turned as the shapes of Lyla, Nixie, and Sirena materialized. Lyla looked pleadingly at him, but he leapt into the pool of water.

Once he was completely encompassed him, he felt home at once. Then, his powerful tail flicked through the water, steering Zac closer to the object floating in the water: the trident. He grabbed the trident once he got within reach. Then, he turned to see Lyla, Sirena, and Nixie—with _tails._ Zac's eyes widened. He knew that Lyla had told him that she, Sirena, and Nixie were mermaids, but... it was kind of shocking to see them with tails. He met Lyla's gaze, and her pleading gaze seemed to say, _play along, please play along._ Zac, unsure of what to do, held the trident out in front of him. Lyla grabbed it, but her gaze told him that she didn't actually want it. Something happened, and the trident crackled with electricity or something. And—

They were shoved out of the pool.

Zac was breathing heavily as he gazed at Lyla and her friends. "Zac," she began, gaze pleading, and Zac froze, every nerve locked up in denial. She moved closer to him and breathed, "Are you okay?" His gaze widened in astonishment, but he felt touched, touched that she truly cared about him. She didn't seem to notice Nixie and Sirena behind her.

"Yeah..." Then, he sagged. "You really have a tail..." he breathed in awe.

Nixie and Sirena looked baffled. Then, they whispered to one another, and their gazes darkened. Uh oh. Zac guessed that that meant trouble. Then, he realized that he had blown it for Lyla. He stifled a groan and headed out of the entrance, Lyla, Sirena, and Nixie right behind him. When they were outside, he glanced back at her. "I'll see you around..." he said, smiling a little at her. He left, wondering if she knew anything at all about him as she was a... a mermaid. The word felt weird on his tongue. To find that he wasn't alone... it was... the best feeling in the world.

* * *

Sirena glanced at Nixie and Lyla. Lyla blatantly refused to look at them, and instead, she ran and dove into the water. Sirena exchanged a glance with Nixie, and they followed her, heading to Rita's. By the time Sirena and Nixie propelled themselves up in Rita's mer-cave, Lyla was already inside the grotto. Sirena swallowed uncomfortably as her tail dried. Then, she stood up, wobbling a little. Then, she and Nixie raced to the grotto. Rita was there, and her eyes widened as she took in the mix of emotions.

"You sold us out!" Nixie yelled at Lyla. The rage that she had held back for so long had now exploded.

Lyla didn't deny it. She didn't even say anything. Rita's eyes widened with concern. "What happened?" the older mermaid asked. She had been holding Poseidon, but she put the cat down as she appraised the three of them carefully. The cat's milky yellow-green eyes flashed in annoyance, and he slunk off to some corner. "Did... did you guys go to Mako?"

"Yeah, we went to Mako," Nixie said. She shot Lyla a look of betrayal. "And Lyla obviously told Zac that we were mermaids before because he wasn't surprised at all!" That wasn't true. Zac looked surprised, but now, Sirena assumed that it was because he had never seen mermaids before. And he wasn't angry with them, too. That was a major clue. Sirena and Nixie had pieced together the pieces and discovered what Lyla had done.

"It was an accident!" Lyla argued.

"How do you _accidentally_ tell someone that you're a mermaid?!" Nixie demanded incredulously.

"It just..." Lyla frowned. "It just happened."

Nixie glared at Lyla with such the utmost loathing, but Sirena felt unsure. They still had Zac's trust, and they had a better chance of getting rid of his powers now that he knew that they were mermaids. "Well," Sirena said, uncertain, "Zac still trusts us. I mean, it's not all bad. I mean, I know that Lyla shouldn't have told Zac, but... it worked out pretty well."

"Exactly," Lyla retorted.

"Jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk," Nixie said, shooting Sirena a look of betrayal.

"After all, when we tell him that the pod left because he became a merman, he'll agree to get rid of his powers, and the pod can come back," Sirena added, ignoring Nixie's burning gaze. "And everything will be back to the way it was!" Sirena exclaimed excitedly.

"Jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk," Nixie continued, glaring at Sirena now instead of Lyla.

"Rita..?" Lyla said, turning to the older mermaid for guidance.

"Well, I suppose there's no harm done," Rita said after a heartbeat. She frowned a little. "I mean, if he trusts you... I don't think he'd blackmail me or anything. I mean, he's bound to figure out that I'm not really your aunt." Then, Rita's gaze darkened. "Does Zac have the trident?"

"No," Lyla said, not bothering to conceal her relief over the matter. "The trident is still in the pool of water that was in the land entrance."

"Lyla, what you did was risky," Rita said, gaze serious. "You could've—"

"I know, I know," Lyla said. "Nixie already chewed me out."

"What you did was serious, Lyla," Rita said. "You got lucky this time." Then, Rita smiled a little. "Though only the tides know why..."

"I know," Sirena said, hiding a smile.

"I do, too," Nixie added with a bit of disdain. "I've known it for some time."

Lyla blushed a little, so it was clear to Sirena that Lyla knew why, too. Lyla shook her head. "We're getting distracted from the point," she said, neatly avoiding an answer. It wasn't what Lyla said but what she _didn't_ say. Sirena could read it, and she was pretty sure she wasn't the only one: _I would rather face chastisement and punishment than being teased about my so far platonic relationship with Zac._ It was pretty obvious.

"It's not wrong to love someone," Rita said, and Lyla groaned, burying her face in her hands. Sirena hid a smile. She saw the amusement in Rita's gaze. Rita _wanted_ to tease Lyla. "But you _do_ realize that your relationship with Zac has to be remain platonic, right?"

"Why would I want it to be more than platonic?" Lyla inquired, her answer muffled.

Nixie gawked sarcastically at her. "Oh, I wonder why. It's not like when Sirena and I arrived at Zac's, you two weren't sitting so close and hugging each other like the world depended on it." That was an exaggeration, but... Nixie was Nixie, and she looked like she was enjoying this conversation whereas Lyla blanched and ignored her.

"What?" Rita said. This was news to her.

"Nothing," Lyla said quickly.

Rita's eyes flashed, which meant something like, _Lyla, we're going to have a very long talk later about your feelings for Zac._ Rita didn't bother to hide her displeasure, though. "Lyla, you can't—"

" _He_ was comforting _me_ ," Lyla said forcefully.

"And why would he need to do that?" Nixie asked sarcastically.

Lyla went uncharacteristically silent. She blatantly refused to meet anyone's eyes. It was news to Sirena that Lyla would need comforting. They all fell into an awkward silence. Nixie looked reproachful as she gazed at Lyla, but there was uncertainty in there somewhere. Sirena shifted uncomfortably, and she looked at Poseidon. The white cat was sitting on his haunches, and his milky yellow-green optics flicked around the room. The cat delicately licked a paw before wrapping his tail neatly around his paws.

"But things turned out okay," Lyla said after the long spam of silence. She still refused to look at anyone.

"Because we got lucky," Nixie said, scoffing.

"Do you trust him enough to keep our secret?" Rita inquired.

Lyla met their gazes boldly, her trust in Zac shining through her gaze. "I trust him with my life."

"Then if we're exposed, I'll blame it on you," Nixie said.

"Fair enough," Lyla said. "But he won't."

"We only have your and his word for that," Nixie said. "And that word has been turned into a question."

"He won't," Lyla insisted. "I know he won't."

"And where's your proof?" Nixie demanded incredulously.

"I _know_ him, Nixie," Lyla said fiercely. "He wouldn't do this. Besides, he would be more or less revealing his own secret if he did. We're fine."

"So you say."

There was no doubt that Lyla meant her words. She really _did_ trust Zac that much. Sirena swallowed hard. Nixie was particularly hostile towards Lyla. Would Lyla's friendship with Zac tear the three of them apart? And if it did, what else would happen? Sirena recalled her earlier words: _I trust him with my life._ Sirena couldn't help but feel uneasy. Lyla trusted Zac with her life...

Zac obviously trusted Lyla. Yes, he had been the most forthcoming to her... He had asked _her_ to be there tonight, and Lyla had told them that Zac had invited _them._ Did Zac trust Lyla with his life? Sirena turned to meet Lyla's eyes. Lyla was frowning a little, but something in her eyes told Sirena that she was thinking of Zac. Not that that would be much of a surprise.

No doubt it was going to be an interesting few days...

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that—I'm a die hard Zyla shipper. Anyways, since this story isn't WC, it's obviously going to be a three-shot, but... I'm making each chapter 5000+ words just because I really wanted to write something like this. But I'm sticking to my promises. It _will_ be a three-shot, and it'll probably end up with 15,000+words. Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism _and_ praise) though not necessary. But who doesn't like reviews? ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Did they give you much grief?"

Lyla glanced briefly at Zac as he asked the question. She was currently with Zac— _again_ —and they were hanging out in his house. Though Lyla didn't want to get caught with him alone by Nixie and Sirena, she liked his house. It didn't provide too much privacy as it was sweltering, and the door was wide open. Lyla smiled at the cute boyish grin on his face. "Yeah," Lyla admitted. "They chastised me more than I would've liked, but"—she paused to meet his gaze—"I'm glad you weren't there to witness it."

"Ha, I wish I were there," Zac said, grinning. "So... is it a secret?"

"What?" Lyla said nervously. She felt guilty, but she wasn't sure why.

"What they said!" His smile widened, showing extremely white teeth against his tanned face. "And what _you_ said," he added.

Lyla blushed—she couldn't _help_ what her face did—and turned away from his gaze. His unnervingly disconcerting gaze. Lyla wondered if he knew what effect he had on her. She wondered if... Lyla cut her thoughts short. There was no way Zac had feelings for her. But it didn't even matter if he did. Their relationship _had_ to remain platonic, as the others continuously reminded Lyla. "It's not a secret, but... I don't want them to get mad at me for oversharing again." Again, that meant two things: one, it was true—she _didn't_ want the others to find out—and two, she didn't want to explain how they had chastised her about her close relationship with Zac. It would be embarrassing, and Lyla would be beyond mortified if he found out.

"Oh, well, that's too bad," Zac said mournfully. Then, his eager gaze was on her once more. That smile was dazzling, and Lyla froze, wondering if she would give everything she felt for him away if she spoke. His gaze was affectionate, and Lyla felt heat encompass her as his gaze pierced through her—right past through her heart and into her soul. "But I wouldn't want to get you in trouble."

Lyla sighed, frustrated. For someone who claimed that he didn't want to get her in trouble, Zac was already getting her in a lot of trouble. Not that she'd ever admit it. Lyla wondered what his eyes said right now... Those dark eyes that were the perfect shade of brown. They were endless and deep, and Lyla could've sank into them forever. If there was a forever. "Enough talk about me," Lyla said in a teasing tone. "What about you? Any idea what you want to do with your tail?"

"Actually, I was thinking about the trident," Zac said. He quirked an eyebrow at Lyla. "You tried to take it off me." The tone was almost accusatory, and Lyla could detect the blatant annoyance in his tone. Lyla ignored it and didn't speak. "Do you think it can do anything?" His tone was upbeat and innocent. He was genuinely wondering what the trident could do.

"It's powerful," Lyla offered and immediately regretted her words when she saw the ambitious gleam in Zac's eyes. "But it's dangerous," Lyla added quickly, shifting uneasily at his gaze. _Not as dangerous as the look you're giving me,_ Lyla added silently. "I don't think you should go near it."

"Why not? I could learn so much from it!" he protested.

"I'm just telling you what Rita told me," Lyla said, shrugging helplessly.

His gaze brightened, much to her disdain. "Then let's ask Rita!" Then, he frowned as he realized the double meaning. "Rita Santos..." he said quietly. "She's a mermaid, isn't she?" His gaze was thoughtful. Then, he noticed the horror in Lyla's gaze. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone." He offered her a small tentative smile. "But do you think she knows anything?" he inquired eagerly.

"She'll tell you the same thing," Lyla warned. "Something like the trident isn't to be messed around with, Zac. You could get seriously injured. Besides, we don't even know what it can do. It could do many terrible things, and I don't... I don't want you to get hurt."

"But you said it yourself: we don't even know what it can do," Zac argued. "And I'm not going to get hurt." She remained silent, and some of the excitement died from his eyes. He frowned. "Don't you trust me, Lyla?" Oh, he was cheating with that annoyingly sweet gaze, but Lyla didn't think he was doing it on purpose. He wouldn't take advantage of her being all flustered around him, right?

"Of course I trust you!" Lyla exclaimed defiantly. "It's the trident that I don't trust."

"But things were fine last time," he argued.

"We got lucky last time!" Lyla retorted.

His gaze went cold. "I thought you wanted to help me."

"I do, but I don't want you to get hurt," she said, turning away from his gaze. She shivered. She didn't want him to get angry, and she didn't want their friendship to be destroyed, but she needed him to see reason. "Please, Zac. Listen to me and stay away from the trident. Please." She had said the words plaintively, but she wondered if he would listen.

He sighed and sagged in resignation. "I wouldn't want you to worry... but I have to do this, Lyla." His intense gaze was so overwhelming as it hit hers fiercely, which added more effect than usual. "It's, like, _destiny._ This might be my chance to find out if it wasn't a fluke when I fell into the moon pool." Lyla had told him yesterday, albeit hesitantly, about what had happened when he gained his tail. She had explained to him how they left him on the island. She had blatantly left out the part when Zac was trying to show his powers to Cam on that first day he learned he had powers. She didn't think he would be too pleased.

"I guess I can't stop you."

"It would be better if you were there with me," he said. He sighed, frustrated. "Why can't you do this with me?"

"I don't want you to get hurt," Lyla repeated.

He stood up. "I'm going to go to Rita's if you aren't going to tell me anything." She remained silent, and he left. Lyla swallowed hard as she watched his silhouette disappear. She replayed their conversation in her head, thinking of how she much better she could've played it. Maybe he wouldn't be acting so aloof towards her then... But one question continued to jump back to Lyla.

Had she caused a rift to appear in their friendship?

* * *

"Face it, Sirena," Nixie scoffed. "She's not coming. She's probably with Zac. Again."

"I guess so," Sirena said mournfully. They were currently at Ocean Cafe. They had waited a while for Lyla to join them, but the mermaid hadn't come. Sirena glanced at Nixie, who still wore that mask of disdain on her face. Oh why couldn't her two friends be less hostile towards each other? Sirena felt a smile spread across her lips as David met her gaze. He flushed a little and smiled that cute smile of his. Thoughts of Lyla and Nixie melted away from Sirena's head, and she smiled. Then, she turned back to see Nixie staring at her disapprovingly. "What?" Sirena said innocently.

"Let's go to Rita's," Nixie said. Sirena heard the double meaning: _let's get you away from David._

Sirena grinned helplessly at her friend, and the two headed out of Ocean Cafe. They leapt into the ocean and sped off towards Rita's grotto. Once they had propelled themselves upward, and once their tails had dried, the two stood up and headed into the grotto. "Lyla?" Sirena called, but she soon realized that her friend wasn't here. Sirena tried a different tactic. "Rita?" Again, no answer.

"Not here," Nixie commented.

Sirena shrugged, and they headed out of the grotto. They walked into Rita's kitchen when they saw Rita, a steaming mug in one hand and a book in the other. The older mermaid looked up and smiled warmly at them when they entered. "Sirena, Nixie," Rita greeted them curtly, still smiling. "I thought you two would be at Ocean Cafe."

"Lyla was a no-show," Nixie retorted furiously, eyes blazing.

"I'm not surprised," Rita said, setting her book down. "I bet Zac has lots of questions for her."

Sirena opened her mouth to speak when there was a sharp knock on the door. Rita frowned and set her mug down before striding towards the door. She opened the door and smiled. "Zac, what a pleasant surprise!" Sirena saw Rita shift to look behind Zac. "Is Lyla with you?"

"No, she's busy," Zac said quickly.

"Well, then," Rita said, voice sounding a bit suspicious, "come in then."

Zac entered and sat down in one of the couches. He smiled a little at Sirena and nodded in Nixie's direction. Nixie blatantly refused to acknowledge his presence. Oh well, they would work on her. Sooner or later. Sirena watched as Zac's gaze moved from the ground to the ceiling to the ground again before finally settling on Rita. "I was wondering if you could tell me about the trident."

Rita frowned. "Zac, that's not something to be taken lightly with," she said, still frowning. A hint of steel was injected into her voice, mixed with disapproval. "Didn't Lyla tell you that already?" Sirena watched Rita appraise Zac carefully, waiting for some sort of reaction. She got it. Zac looked so lost, and Sirena could see the sadness in his gaze. Something had happened.

"She told me that it was dangerous, but she didn't explain how," Zac said stiffly. "She said she didn't want to help me with something that would hurt me." He glanced at Rita before turning back to the ground. "So, tell me: how is the trident dangerous?"

"Zac," Rita said, "if the trident is so powerful, how come no one took it already? Maybe, it's because no one who took it survived."

"Unless no one knows about it," Zac quickly pointed out.

"Zac, you shouldn't take that kind of risk," Rita said. "Lyla was right. You shouldn't meddle with things you can't possibly understand."

Zac looked frustrated. "I thought you could help."

"Zac, we have no real idea what might happen," Rita said. "Maybe the trident won't hurt you, but it's dangerous to us. It affects us differently than it does mermen." Then, Rita frowned again. "Where's Lyla? You two usually work together on this sort of thing."

"She..." Zac swallowed hard, and Sirena found her heart racing. Had something happened to her friend? "We had a disagreement. She's probably in the moon pool." At the astonished face of everyone's, Zac shifted uncomfortably. "She told me how I gained my tail. She thought I deserved to know. But she didn't tell me exactly where the moon pool was. She said it was like a place to escape."

Nixie shook her head defiantly. "No way. We're not taking you to the moon pool."

"I need to talk to her," Zac protested.

"Then find her yourself," Nixie retorted.

Zac looked like he might protest, but he thought better of it. He got up. "Actually, that's a pretty good idea. I think I _will_ go ahead and find her. Plus, I want to talk to her _alone."_ He glanced at Rita. "Thanks for your help, but I'm going to get the trident next full moon." He nodded and headed out the door. Sirena frowned and couldn't help but wonder exactly _what_ he wanted to say to Lyla.

"It looks like it's harder for their relationship to stay platonic," Nixie commented as soon as Zac was out of earshot.

"Well, Lyla avoiding him is... smarter, I guess," Rita said.

"But we can't let their relationship develop," Sirena said, shaking her head sadly.

"But if they fight, it might tear them apart..." Nixie suggested.

"We're _not_ making them fight," Sirena said automatically. She turned to Rita. "We have to trust that Lyla will keep her relationship platonic, right?" She watched the older mermaid carefully. Rita frowned a little and sighed. She shifted uncomfortably and nodded. "But this is going to be problematic."

"We have to trust Lyla, Nixie," Rita said.

"I can trust her and think she's crazy at the same time," Nixie pointed out.

"Then trust that she'll make the right decision," Rita said quietly.

"I trust Lyla," Nixie said. "Just barely." She shuddered. "It's Zac I don't trust."

* * *

Zac felt like he had searched the entire ocean for the moon pool. It took so long. But he considered himself lucky that he found it at all. It was hidden deep in tall shadows, and Zac would've missed it completely if he hadn't seen the glimmers from the seashells below it. In fact, he _had_ passed it several times before he noticed it, much to his chagrin. The silhouettes of seaweed and coral pretty much concealed the moon pool. Of course, Zac streamed into the entrance. He smiled as he noticed that Lyla was in it. He had guessed correctly. She whirled around just as he entered, and Zac wondered if she could sense him or something. Her eyes widened as she saw him. Of course she was surprised. He didn't blame her—he _couldn't_ blame her. He would be surprised if he were in her shoes— _tail._

"Lyla," he said, murmuring her name. It brought a flush to his cheeks, and he hoped that the moon pool was dark enough to conceal that.

"Zac." Her answer was curt, and her face was completely devoid of any sort of emotion.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said desperately, hoping that her pretty face would show some emotion. "I had no right to jump on you like that. I practically tried to force you to tell me, but I should've let it go." His fingers sought out hers, and he squeezed. She remained silent, and it was maddening enough to drive the most patient person crazy. "I should've listened to you. I should've respected your wishes."

She remained passive.

"Look," he said, a bit frustrated now, "I'm sorry. I don't what else to say to make it better, but I really am. I know you're mad, so just... can you forgive me? For what I've done." He was acutely aware that his voice was rising in desperation, but he was past caring.

"I'm not mad," she said, answer still curt. Then, she fell into that unfamiliar silence. Where was _Lyla,_ the girl that shared such an understanding with Zac? After a few more maddening heartbeats, she said, "I'm disappointed." Then, she paused. "A little. But mostly... I feel like I've let you down, Zac."

So, she felt guilty. That made Zac feel _more_ guilty than he already did. And he felt _plenty_ guilty. _Disappointed._ The word was like a slap to his face. That seemed even worse than her being mad at him. At least then she would show some emotion. "You feel like you've let me down? Lyla, you didn't let me down. You never do. _I_ feel like I've let you down. It's my fault."

Her gaze met his, and Zac could feel the words passing through them. She blushed. Great, if he could see her blushing, she had definitely noticing him reddening earlier. _Get it together, Zac!_ he chastised himself. Then, he turned towards her. "So... do you forgive me?"

"Yes." The word was barely a whisper, but Zac could feel himself getting warm from within despite the cold inside the pool. He suddenly felt shy as he drew his arms around her in an embrace. The tips of their tails brushed. The embrace felt awkward but not displeasing. She leaned into his chest for a heartbeat before pulling out of the embrace. She was so close to him, and Zac's heart was beating so loudly that he could've sworn that Lyla heard. Their lips were inches apart, and Zac couldn't help but admire her beauty. She was a breath away, but a sudden splash made both of them move backwards.

Zac turned to see Nixie and Sirena. Both of their eyes were wide, and Zac smiled a little sheepishly. "Sorry, but I found the moon pool," he said, daring to exchange a glance with Lyla. He didn't regret it when their gazes met, burning with such power and intensity. "I won't remain here any longer," he added quickly. He turned to Lyla. "Thanks."

"Of course," she responded, smiling a little.

He ducked under the waters, the image of her beautiful smile playing in his head. He flushed at the thought as he zoomed through the waters. He wondered why he had acted so strange around her. The thought of her brought a smile to his face, and Zac felt uneasy. He had felt that way before...

So why was he thinking about her so much?

* * *

"Lyla," Sirena said uncertainly.

Lyla looked at her friend and shifted her gaze the spot where Zac had lingered heartbeats before. Then, she turned to Nixie, who had that disapproving expression plastered on her face. Lyla frowned. "I didn't tell him where the moon pool was. He found out on his own," she said, even though that was _not_ what they were going to chastise her about.

"So much for your relationship remaining platonic," Nixie retorted sharply.

"It's _still_ platonic," Lyla said, struggling to make her voice neutral.

"Yeah right!" Nixie said, rolling her eyes. Her blue eyes glittering fiercely in the dark. She looked absolutely furious, but Lyla refused to acknowledge that. "When we entered, you two were ready to kiss or something. He looked like he wanted to take you off into the sunset!"

"You're over exaggerating," Lyla said but hearing that made her blush a little. "He was _not."_

"Sure seemed like it," Nixie scoffed.

"What did you fight about?" Sirena said, looking like her interest was piqued.

"Fight?" Lyla repeated. She frowned and shook her head. "We had a disagreement, but... it wasn't a fight. Not exactly."

"Ha!" Nixie exclaimed triumphantly. "You two obviously can't fight because you two are head over tails for each other! There's no way you can deny that, Lyla! But you can't do this! I'll stop the both of you myself if I have to."

"You can't stop love, Nixie," Sirena said wearily.

"I can if I have to!" Nixie fumed, shooting Sirena a look of betrayal.

"I'm _not_ falling for Zac," Lyla said. "I'm not." _Liar. The way you look at him is_ — _shut up, self conscience!_ Lyla interrupted. _I don't need nor want your verdict! I don't need you to tell me how I feel. You're crazy!_ Lyla's self-conscience simply retorted, _Me? Crazy? How about you? Talking to your self conscience like that. I'm ashamed._ Lyla bit her lip, hoping the others didn't notice that she was having a quarrel with her self conscience in her head.

"Lyla, you can't stop this from happening," Sirena said in a sort of helpless voice.

"Why can't you listen?" Lyla demanded. "Nothing's going on between me and Zac. We're friends, and I just want to help get rid of his tail so the pod can come back. Just like both you! Don't you want the pod back? And if I have to find out more about Zac's powers myself, I'll do it."

"Is that your excuse to spend more time with him?" Nixie asked.

"You're unbelievable!"

"You're delusional!"

"You guys!" Sirena said, glaring at both of them. The glare faltered a little as she sighed, unable to remain mad at them. It just wasn't in her nature. "You two aren't helping by bickering. But it doesn't matter. Lyla's not going to do anything but try and get rid of Zac's powers. She's probably just making him warm up to her so when she tells him that she has to get rid of his powers, it'll hurt less. The logic isn't faulty, and that might be the real reason."

Nixie hesitated at Sirena's words. "You know, Sirena, you might be right." Nixie grimaced and turned to Lyla. "Just... be careful. I don't want to comfort you when the land boy breaks your heart." The words were spoken in a sarcastic tone, but it hit a nerve. Lyla truly _did_ care about Zac... Sirena was wrong about that... but it wasn't like Lyla could just admit it to them. She would never hear it down from Nixie.

"Glad we had that talk," Lyla mumbled, "but I don't hear you chastising Sirena about David."

Nixie looked baffled at that, and Lyla felt smug. The smugness was short-lived though. _Lyla, one. Nixie, zero._ "Well," Nixie said, "I mean, Sirena and David... he's not a merman. When Sirena leaves him... he'd move on. Eventually. But they'll be fine. Zac's a merman. Who knows what sort of trouble he is? He got us cast out of our pod, Lyla. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."

"I know that," Lyla said through clenched teeth. It wasn't Zac's fault, not really. And Lyla didn't blame him. She blamed Nixie. If Zac and Cam hadn't caught that fish, they wouldn't have gone camping on Mako, and everything would be fine. But no, Nixie had a reckless nature. Lyla didn't blame Nixie for her recklessness but for her disregard of the rules.

"Then we agree," Nixie said.

Lyla didn't answer. She couldn't.

* * *

Zac was at Ocean Cafe. The music seemed duller, and he was just... bored. Zac turned to his girlfriend, Evie, who was chatting happily with Carly. Zac honestly didn't know why he was at the cafe. He didn't really want to be there. He stood up, and he felt Evie's gaze burning on his back. He turned back to his girlfriend. Her gaze was filled with worry, and she headed towards him.

"Hey, Zac, are you okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah, fine," Zac said, shrugging a little. "I just... I'm a bit tired." That was a lie, but Zac didn't feel like reassuring Evie with empty words. He didn't want her to get upset because of him. He hugged her a little before stepping back. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"I..." Her fingers wrapped around his wrist, but Zac didn't feel the electricity crackle through him like it used to. Weird. Then, Zac supposed that he didn't have a right to judge. He could be 'weird.' In fact, he _was._ Evie met his gaze, probably searching for any signs of dishonesty. Then, she sighed. "Alright, Zac. But you know, if you ever need anything, I'll be here for you, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Zac said. "But I'm fine," he promised her. "I'll see you later."

Her fingers stayed wrapped around his wrist for a heartbeat longer. "Alright."

And Zac exited the cafe, wondering why things were different between them.

But in his heart, he knew why.

* * *

Lyla had left the moon pool after her excruciating talk with Sirena and Nixie. She needed a place to escape, but she craved for Zac's company. The latter won out, and Lyla found herself swimming to Zac's house. It was all so familiar now. Lyla waited for her tail to dry before she headed up to his house. Yes... Running came so easily to her now. Her pace quickened into a sprint, and she stopped abruptly at Zac's door. It was slightly ajar, and Lyla opened it, feeling a wave of relief. That meant that he was home.

He smiled at her immediately when she entered, and she could tell that the smile was genuine. She knew him that well. She could just _read_ him like that. Like a book. "Hey," he said, seeming a little nervous. But his overall temperament was upbeat, thus proving so with his bright smile.

"Hey," she echoed, and if possible, his smile brightened.

"Did they finish chewing you out?" he asked.

"How'd you know they were doing that?" she said, a small part of her wondering if he had heard the conversation.

"Well, I just guessed," he said. After a heartbeat, he added, "Plus, I can just read you so well."

Lyla smiled at him and knew that he thought that they were chewing her out for a completely different reason. She took a seat by Zac, and he seemed pleased. Lyla wondered if she had imagined that. "I'm sorry about earlier, you know?" Lyla said, trying to appear cool and not constantly flustered by his unnervingly sweet gaze. "But I would really appreciate it if you won't go after the trident."

"I want to do that for you, but... I feel like the trident wants me to find you." His dark gaze locked with hers. "It's that feeling that you get, you know?"

"Yeah..."

His expression turned thoughtful, and Lyla felt frustrated that she couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. Then, she looked into his eyes. They were a very nice, rich shade of brown. Deep and soft as his gaze landed on her. She admired the way the light seemed to dance in his eyes. Then, she realized that his gaze was locked onto hers, as well. Was he admiring her gaze? Lyla had to admit it: she had beautiful ocean-colored eyes that danced with infinite depths of blue. But was he admiring her gaze, too? Was he admiring how the light seem to play in her gaze? Maybe she could _think_ that.

"You have very nice eyes..." he murmured.

So he _had_ been admiring her eyes. "You have nice eyes, too," Lyla said, conversation coming easily to her. The tone of her voice was soft and light, showing a sort of teasing spark in it. Lyla smiled at him, admiring the way his eyes seemed to glow when they landed on her. Or maybe it was the light that shifted towards him when he turned her way. Whatever it was, it made Lyla feel better.

"You know..." he said, voice ever so soft. "We should go swimming some time." His eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I bet I'm faster than you."

"I don't think so!" Lyla said. "You're too much of a land boy to keep up with me," she teased.

"Yeah, right," he retorted, but the playful air still surrounded him. "Well, you've lost your touch after being on land so much."

"You can't argue with the call of the ocean, Zac," Lyla said with a faked solemnness. "I'm a mermaid. You're a fish fresh out of the ocean. I have more experience."

"Is that so?" he murmured, chuckling a little. Tides, his laugh sounded like music. Or bells.

He stood up and extended a hand towards her. Lyla hesitated a heartbeat before taking it, wondering if it was a trap, and he pulled up her up from the couch. The two mer-folk stood face-to-face with each other, and Lyla's breath got caught as she gazed at him. He was so close to her, and Lyla could breathe in his pleasurable scent. And his eyes... Oh, his eyes. She felt like she could've melted in that gaze. His own breathing was heavy, and Lyla wondered if he was affected as much as she was by their close proximity.

"So many choices," he whispered. "But which one is right?" His words were soft, and Lyla wondered if he had meant to say them aloud. The words seemed private, and Lyla dared to look into his eyes. It was a mistake, but the good kind. Her heart was pounding so hard, and she tilted her head upwards so their gazes were full on point. His hands were around her wrists, and his grip slackened as he gazed at her. He made a sort of half gasping noise, but Lyla was past caring.

His hand touched her face, and it felt like fire blazing against her. But this was the fire that was going to protect her from any harm, not burn her. He tilted her face up, and she gasped softly, both at his touch and at her own astonishment. They were now inches apart, and Lyla could feel what she wanted to do. His eyes were full of passion, but there was something soft in there, too. Something indescribable. _No, that was not quite true,_ Lyla thought. There was an emotion, and it could only be described as love. Love, yes, that was the emotion churning within her. The emotion that left her breathless and awestruck.

The emotion that she felt when she looked at him.

He was only a breath away now, and his hand was still on her cheek. "What're you doing?" Lyla whispered.

"I'm going to kiss you."

* * *

A/N: I wanted to write that for _ages!_ Yes. When I decided to write this chapter today, I _knew_ that I wanted it to end like this! But now, there's the _real_ question: is he going to kiss her? Yes! I know I'm a horrible person for the cliffhanger, but I just _had_ to do it! What do _you_ think is going to happen? Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism _and_ praise) though not necessary. But who doesn't like reviews? ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
**

* * *

A/N: So, this is going to be the last chapter of _The First Time,_ and I hope it'll meet your satisfaction needs (though it'll probably suck)! Sorry for the wait (if you have been waiting), but I have been busy and have been stressing for a while. If I didn't love this story so hard, I probably would've worked on my WC story, which is supposed to be my number one priority... Oh well. I'm going to miss working on this story, but I'm going to try to make it as flawless as possible. Thank you for reading my story, and I hope you love it. I'm a Zyla shipper through and through (sorry Zevie shippers).

* * *

Zac's lips were inches away from Lyla's. His words rang in her head. _I'm going to kiss you._ Then, he did. It was wonderful and magical, and Lyla wondered if she was dreaming. She felt so free, and she was burning with passion and love. She had never felt that way before towards anyone. It wasn't just lust, but there was plenty of that. It was fleeting and powerful, and the kiss burned through Lyla's entire body. When they pulled back, and their eyes met, Lyla knew that she wasn't dreaming. Lyla's eyes were wide, and she was breathless as Zac gazed at her in a way that could only be described as love. Then, without warning, their lips met again in a fierce kiss. The first one had been soft and gentle yet fiery and intoxicating at the same time. Their second had grown in intensity and passion.

Lyla's brain had simply went numb. When they pulled back, Lyla froze. She didn't believe what had just happened. Correction, she _couldn't_ believe it. It was too beyond her real world figure. Zac was still watching her with a soft expression on his face. Lyla looked up to meet his gaze. Lyla's heart was racing, and she wondered if he could tell. "Am I dreaming?" Lyla breathed.

"If you're dreaming, I'm dreaming the same dream," Zac murmured.

That's when Lyla came to her sense, and something called reality hit her in the face. She pulled away from him, eyes wide and chest heaving. He looked bewildered at her sudden movement, and guilt racked his face. It looked like reality was setting in for him, too. They couldn't do this. _Tides!_ Lyla hissed. _And I said that our relationship would remain platonic._ "Lyla... I'm... I," Zac stammered. It looked as if he was going to say sorry, but he hadn't spoken the word. Yet.

"Sorry?" Lyla offered.

"Well..." Zac frowned. "Actually, no. I'm not sorry that I did that." He looked sheepish and guilty now, which added more to the cute boyishness he usually had radiating off of him. "I actually enjoyed it." Then, he pursed his lips, like he knew that he shouldn't have said that. _That makes the two of us,_ Lyla mused. His expression changed from sheepish to guilty to confused.

That was when Lyla realized three things: One, Zac had said that he was going to kiss her, and he had. Two, he admitted that he had liked it. And three... oh, the impossible three, Lyla had kissed him back _and_ she had enjoyed it. Tides, she was such a horrible mermaid. "Zac..." Lyla said weakly. Her heart was racing with adrenaline under his gaze. The gaze that Lyla had sank into for so long...

"Oh tides," Lyla said, groaning as she stumbled away from him. She stared at him. "You weren't supposed to do that." She groaned again. " _I_ wasn't supposed to do that. I'm going to be in so much trouble." She watched his gaze, which was burning with churning emotions. She was sure that the same emotions were playing on her face. "You know... I'll see you around."

Lyla strode over to the door as fast as she could, but Zac's fingers circled around her wrist. His gaze was pleading, and once again, Lyla knew that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to refuse. Ugh! Her world was just so messed up right now! Why was Zac always the problem? Zac, the most impossible person ever. Lyla couldn't have been more stupid in falling for him, not that she could help it.

But... Zac was also... Zac. He was the one who understood her, the one who cared about her. Truly cared. She was his go-to-confidant, and he was the most important person in Lyla's world. They didn't need to talk to enjoy each other's company. Tides, they didn't even _need_ to talk. They shared an understanding so deep that they could read each other without words.

If Lyla stayed... what would happen? But... if she left... No, that wouldn't change a thing. They would still eventually talk about it. She knew that he knew what was going on in her mind. If she stayed... she feared to think of what might happen... But, she also relished it. His fingers were still around her wrist. He was so close to her now, inches apart. She wanted him to kiss her—there was no doubt about that... But... that wasn't it. That wasn't what stopping her.

"You're going to get me in trouble," she said, shoving him away. Then, she did something that hurt her so much. Hurt her more than it would ever hurt him. But he was with Evie, and Lyla would _never_ go behind Evie's back with Zac. Sure, she didn't like Evie very much. Sure, Evie hated the ground she stood on... But still, Lyla could pretend that it never happened. Zac could still go on with Evie. Lyla could cut herself out of his life. It didn't matter that she was breaking inside. At least... at least he would be happy. Lyla looked into his eyes and yelled, "You are the worst thing that ever happened in my life!"

Then, she ran out.

Zac stood there, eyes wide.

Leaving him was the hardest thing to do. Watching him, with that heartbroken expression on his face, broke Lyla apart. She could feel her heart breaking, but she ran out of his house, away from him. She needed to get away. But at the same time, a part of her—more like _every_ part of her—was telling her to run back to Zac. And leaving the boy she so desperately loved— _still_ so desperately loved—well, that tore Lyla apart. So she left.

But she had also left her heart behind.

* * *

Every part of Zac was splintering as he watched Lyla go. It hurt him so much that she had rebuffed him... But, somehow, he knew that she didn't want to. He was tempted to run after her, but... he understood her. He knew that she wanted space, but it was agony for him. He could imagine it when their lips met. It wasn't like kissing with Evie. When he kissed Evie, it had been nice and innocent... But it didn't have the fiery passion and longing that burned within him when he kissed Lyla. He could feel the strength of his emotions threatening to rip him apart.

With Lyla... when they kissed, Zac could feel free, free of everything that was holding him back. It was so full of passion and longing and anger and everything else that they both had kept to themselves for so long. Something indescribable. She was different. Different from other girls... Was it because she was a mermaid? No, Zac didn't think so even if that was a viable option. No, it was because they shared such a perfect understanding with each other. He knew she could feel it. He could feel it, too.

 _You are the worst thing that ever happened in my life,_ she had said. It was like saying, _I hate you._ But he could picture the anguish in her eyes so clearly when she had said it. It was like saying that had broken a part of her inside. Zac's heart broke inside of him. She couldn't have been more clear about the rejection... yet, Zac felt that she thought differently. She had truly wanted to be with him. But there was one puzzling question that kept reentering his mind: why?

Zac got up and headed over to Ocean Cafe. First... he had to talk to Evie... to tell her that there could never be anything between them because his heart belonged elsewhere. Then... he needed to talk to Lyla. His heart fractured even more so at the thought of hurting Evie. Perhaps he didn't have romantic feelings for her anymore, but that didn't mean that he didn't care about her. He _did_ care about her. Deeply. But she needed to understand that Zac couldn't let her stay trapped in their relationship when... when Zac didn't feel the same way as he did before.

He paused as he reached the door. Then, he opened it. He saw Evie tending to her store. Carly was by her side, and both girls were happily chatting. Zac stared at Evie. He saw a beautiful, sweet girl, but... his heart didn't race like it normally did. He didn't feel like going over to her and declaring his affection for her. He felt... nothing, really. A mild friendship but nothing romantic.

He was such a horrible person.

Not that he could call himself a person anymore.

She caught his gaze and smiled. Zac's face must've been doing something because Evie frowned. She said something to Carly before heading over to Zac. Zac could see all of the worry in her gaze and felt guilt churn through him. "Come on. Let's talk outside," he muttered, avoiding her gaze. She hesitated a heartbeat before following him outside.

"Zac?" She sounded genuinely puzzled.

"I'm sorry," he said. Hearing the despair in his voice made it that much worse. "I'm so sorry, but... Evie, I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't have feelings for you anymore. Not romantic, at least." Her eyes widened, as if she was taking in what he said. "You used to make me feel alive, but... it's not just me have personal issues and all, but I feel like you don't understand me anymore. We don't connect like we usually did."

"I can try," Evie argued.

So Lyla hadn't crossed her mind. Then, it was a matter of time before the pieces of the puzzle clicked inside her head. "No, you can't." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Evie, but... there's someone else who... who understands me. She doesn't even have to try. I... I never wanted to hurt you, but I have to follow my heart. And my heart is telling me that I can't be with you."

Almost as soon as he finished saying that, Evie said, "It's Lyla, isn't it?" She sounded mad. Her tone was almost accusatory. No, Zac couldn't downplay this anymore. "It's always been her," Evie said bitterly, not looking at him. "She understands you without trying. You know what? I saw it. I saw it all along. No matter how many times you kept denying it... it was always there. Always. But I ignored what my heart and my eyes told me... So I guess the joke's on me, right? My. Fault."

"Evie—"

"You know, I'm not surprised," she said, gaze dark and penetrating. "But I figured things would turn out okay. I didn't think you'd really do anything... But it was there. So many times. And I believed all of the lies." Finally, she whirled around to glare at him. "I loved you! I loved you! And you destroyed me! You took my heart, and you ripped it apart with your love for Lyla! I. Loved. You. And you used me. As a distraction for the girl you really wanted."

"Evie, that's not true."

"Oh, isn't it?" she demanded. "I knew you were head over toes for her!" Zac winced at the comment, particularly because he was a merman. "And you... I was foolish. It was my fault." Tears streaked down Evie's face. "Because I truly loved you, but you were so gone for _her._ After she arrived. You _never_ used to keep secrets. You used to _always_ confide in me. What changed?"

"I'm not the same guy who fell for you, Evie," Zac said, pained.

"Then I suppose you want to go to her. So you can use her until the next girl comes along in your web."

"Evie, it's not like that, and you know it!" Zac yelled. "This isn't about you! This is about me. I love her, alright? I said it! Are you happy? Because this time, this isn't about you, Evie. This is about me and Lyla and whether or not she'll take a chance on me! I've _never_ felt the way I've feel for her before! Ever! She makes me feel alive! Don't you want me to be happy? If you really cared, you would want that!"

"You can't expect me to want my boyfriend to chase after some stalker?"

"Lyla's not a stalker!" Zac spat out. "She actually cares about me!" He continued bitterly, "It's not fair of me keeping you trapped in this relationship when I only feel friendship for you anymore! Get over yourself, Evie! I think you've mustered enough self-pity to create another ocean! But I do care about you! I don't care if you don't accept my relationship with Lyla! I love her, and that's all that matters!"

Tears streaked down Evie's face, and she ran back inside Ocean Cafe. She was probably seeking the comfort of Carly now. Zac stared despairingly into the sky. He had failed. He had wrestled with his temper and failed. Utterly failed. Evie probably hated him more than she hated Lyla. _Then I suppose you want to go to her. So you can use her until the next girl comes along in your web._ Those words stung, but Evie was wrong. Zac's feelings for Lyla were strong, stronger than anything else he had ever experienced. And he didn't need to keep secrets from her. She was a mermaid. She would understand. Evie was a land girl, and Evie could move on.

Zac loved Lyla too much to just pretend that he loved Evie romantically and loved Lyla as a friend. He loved Evie too much to keep her trapped in a relationship. His feelings for Lyla... They were so overwhelming... but in the best way. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Zac dove into the calm waters and swam to Rita's. He needed to talk to Lyla. He propelled himself upward onto land and waited painstakingly to dry his powerful tail.

As soon as his legs replaced his tail, Zac pelted towards Rita's door. He knocked, and the door opened. It was Rita. She smiled at him. "Zac, welcome," she greeted. She opened the door more. "Come on in. The others are in my grotto." At his questioning look, Rita smiled. "Follow me, Zac."

She led him to a room that held bookshelves. She pulled a book entitled _Mako Mermaids_ out a little, and the bookcases shifted to reveal a room. Intrigued, Zac followed Rita as she led him deeper into the grotto. Zac found his heart racing as he saw Lyla levitating objects around the room. She was flanked by Sirena and Nixie, who were levitating objects around the room as well.

"Girls, we have a guest," Rita said.

The three mermaids turned towards Zac. Sirena frowned a little, seeming unsure. Nixie looked bored and furious. And Lyla... she glanced at Zac once before looking away. Her gaze was a mix of anguish and guilt, which soon disappeared as her features settled with a blank look. A look that would reveal nothing. But Zac had seen her anguish. Then, Zac consciously became aware of everyone's gaze—except Lyla's—trained on him. They saw him staring at Lyla with that look of anguish on his face. Zac frowned as he watched Nixie glare at Lyla accusingly. Wait...

"I need to talk to you," Zac said. He didn't say her name, but it was blatant as to who he was talking to. He watched her beseechingly, and she finally met his gaze. Zac was astonished at the pain and guilt that racked her gaze. She had an almost haunted look in her beautiful blue eyes. "Please," he pleaded plaintively. Watching the girl he loved hurt... it tore Zac apart.

"Lyla," Rita said quietly, "is there something you would like to tell us?"

"No, Rita," Lyla said, clenching her fists.

"Can I please talk to Lyla alone?" Zac asked Rita.

She watched his expression carefully. "I suppose so. Don't take too long."

Zac extended his hand out to Lyla's, but she didn't take it. She just moved past him abruptly and shot him a look that said something like, _I'm a goner._ He watched her, hurt, but followed her anyways. They stepped out of the grotto, and Zac glanced at her dejectedly. "Lyla, you need to tell me what's going on?" His hand reached for hers, and he squeezed. "Please."

"They know," Lyla choked out. "They told me... to stay away from you. That I wasn't supposed to..." Lyla looked frustrated. "And it's not just that, Zac. I'm not going to force you to break up with Evie for me," she hissed. "Besides, you and I don't belong together. We're from different worlds. This would've never worked out." The look in her gaze broke Zac's heart.

"You didn't force me to break up with Evie," he said.

"You broke up with her?" Lyla exclaimed incredulously. "You broke up with Evie?"

"Why did you lie to me?" he whispered frantically.

"I had to," Lyla forced out, eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Then tell me the truth: how do you feel about me?"

Lyla hesitated, but her gaze was certain. "I love you," she whispered.

And just like that, Zac's hurt faded away. Her words played in his head: _I love you._ She loved him. Zac felt his heart mending. He touched Lyla's face, and she flinched at his touch. But she didn't pull away. "Then why did you reject me?" he whispered. She was inches apart, and Zac wanted to do nothing more but kiss her. But no, he needed this answer.

"When... when the pod finally comes back," Lyla choked out, "I'll have to leave you. And... if I let you get close... it would be too hard to leave. And not just for me. For the both of us. I couldn't do that to you." The anguish was evident in her blue eyes. "Because I would rather hurt than watch you hurt more."

"But you know that being away from you hurt me."

"I wanted you to have a chance to move on," Lyla whispered. "You could've loved Evie. Truly loved her. But you confided in me, and you and Evie drifted away. You could've loved her, Zac." Zac sensed the truth in her words. She shook her head, gaze clouded. "We can't happen. I'm so sorry, Zac." Tears trailed down her face, and if possible, it made her look even more beautiful. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," he whispered. He pulled her closer to him. "I need you," he breathed.

"You can forget about me," she whispered, anguish shining out of her eyes.

"I could _never_ forget about you."

Tension notwithstanding, Lyla broke at those words. She pressed her lips against Zac, and Zac's fingers got tangled in her long hair as the kiss spread through him. It was full of passion and longing and everything else. He loved her, and he knew that she loved him, too. It didn't matter what the others thought. They would obviously have a verdict, but Zac was past caring. He sank into that kiss, and when they pulled apart, Zac still felt the adrenaline pump through his veins.

"Your pod won't come back unless I lose my tail," Zac said quietly. Then, he met her gaze pleadingly. His dark gaze locked onto her luminous one. He was sure that the emotions in her eyes were playing on his face. Countless emotions pounded within Zac's heart. "What's the point of anything—of _life_ _—_ if I end up losing you?"

She took a deep breath. "You are strong."

He trembled, and a wry smile cross his features. "There are different definitions of the word 'strong,' Lyla."

"I know," she said gently. She smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. After a long heartbeat of intimate silence, Lyla said, "If I let myself love you... it'll be that much harder to leave you. This is wrong enough as it is, Zac. And it's my fault." She shook her head, gaze filled with sorrow. "I'm so sorry." Her voice was scarcely a whisper.

 _And it's my fault,_ she had said. Evie had said something similar when Zac had talked to her. Zac turned defiantly at Lyla. "You are the most important person in my world." His voice cracked as he continued. "How can I lose you?" She pulled herself out of his grasp. He stared pleadingly at her. "You said you loved me."

"I do. And that's why I'm doing this."

She ran out of the room... but in doing so, she had taken Zac's heart along with her. She left, and he stared after her. He watched as her silhouette faded, and he felt tears prick in his eyes. _I do. And that's why I'm doing this._ Zac's heart broke as he thought of her...

... and he wondered if he would ever see her again.

* * *

"Did you see that?" Nixie demanded accusingly at the others. She gaped at Rita's awestruck expression and Sirena's uncertain one. Nixie had expected shock, anger, incredulity... Not... not whatever _this_ was. She blanched and gritted her teeth. She didn't bother to hide her annoyance. Zac and Lyla _still_ weren't done talking. "They're talking forever."

"Did you see the way they looked at each other?" Sirena breathed. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Oh please," Nixie scoffed.

"No, Sirena's right," Rita murmured. "I've never seen anything like it." She shook her head. "We can't blame Lyla. You can't choose who you fall in love with... and we can't blame her at all... because Zac had fallen for her, too." Rita sighed. "All of this time... he loved her, too."

"She's such a liar," Nixie muttered.

"Nixie..." Sirena started, but she trailed off.

"Well, Nixie, why don't you go check on them?" Rita said.

 _Jerk._

"After all," Rita continued, "since you seem to feel for them so passionately."

 _Jerk. Feel for them_ passionately? _You're joking, right?_ Of course, Nixie _did_ feel for them passionately. Them, together? Yes, to answer your question, Nixie _did_ feel something. And it was hate. Pure, black hatred. But, of course, since they were both traitors they might as well belong together, right? Nixie sighed and gritted her teeth, trying to force herself to stay neutral. "Of course, Rita. Anything you want, Rita," she said flatly, stalking out of the room.

Nixie headed out of the grotto and—

"Who stands in the middle of the doorway?" Nixie yelled as she collided with Zac.

His eyes widened in bewilderment. "I-I... sorry."

Nixie frowned disapprovingly. Her frown deepened as she realized that Zac was alone. She sighed and crossed her arms. "Zac, where's Lyla?" Then, she sighed as she rethought her words. "Actually, what did you do _now?"_

"I didn't do anything!" Zac exclaimed defiantly. Nixie felt an unusual trickle of pity for him as she saw the deep sadness and longing in his dark gaze. "I..." He sagged against the wall, and Nixie's eyes widened as she saw tears slowly trailing down his face. "It's complicated..."

Nixie threw her hands up in the air indignantly. "Everything about this situation is complicated! You're as much use as brain coral, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind," Nixie muttered.

Zac got up, bewildered. He shook his head. "I'm going to find Lyla."

"Does she want to be found?"

More silence.

Then, Zac said, "Yes." His voice was hoarse and muffled with grief and pain.

Nixie watched Zac leave. She had seen the look in his eyes.

It was the same way Sirena looked at David.

* * *

Lyla watched the waves recede across the shore. She was at the beach... where she had first seen Zac. He had saved a little girl that day. It seemed a whole lifetime ago. Lyla was a long ways away from the shores, careful not to let the infinite blue touch her. Today, she didn't desire the comfort of the ocean. She wanted to forget about Zac... yet, she didn't.

Lyla hugged her legs as she heard a bird cawing. She cocked her head and sighed. The horrible churning emotions in her chest were overwhelming. She wondered if Zac felt like this. She wondered if he understood. _Of course he does,_ she thought. _He always understands... though that can be both infuriating and comforting at the same time._

"Hey, stranger."

Lyla turned to see Zac, much to her displeasure. But... some part of her admired the way his t-shirt hugged his body and the way the light played so carefully in his dark eyes so gold danced in Zac's dark eyes. She smiled a little. That smile immediately faded as she saw the turmoil in his gaze. She took a deep breath. "Why are you here?" Tides, why was her voice shaking?

"I wanted to see you." He sat next to her and squeezed her hand. Lyla wondered if the gesture was to comfort her or him and finally decided that he was trying to comfort the both of them. She squeezed back, and she could see his eyes glow with pleasure and joy. Did he really love her that much? He took a deep breath, and Lyla dared a glance at him. It was a mistake. She was momentarily dazzled by his eyes. Gold flecks seemed to thread his gaze. "We need to talk."

"That's why we're here," Lyla teased, shoving him playfully. "Alone."

He smiled at that, seeming relieved. "Well, you need someone to keep you on your tail," he teased.

"Yeah right," she retorted, but her tone was lighthearted. As was her mood.

He sighed, optimistic mood over. "We really _do_ need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," Lyla argued.

"Why are you being so difficult?"

She froze at that. "Maybe... maybe it's because I won't like the outcome." She shook her head darkly. "Zac, you know this as well as well as I do. Us... We were never going to work out. It just ends up with a lot of heartbreak. Nothing good ever comes out of a forbidden love."

"That's not true," he argued.

"Isn't it?" She shot him a pointed look.

He fell silent at her words. "Lyla..."

"Yes?"

"I didn't think you could be afraid."

"I'm afraid of a lot of things, Zac," Lyla said with a pained look on her face. She sighed. "I was afraid of the trident. I was afraid it would hurt you. I was afraid that our friendship would be destroyed when I told you that I was a mermaid. I'm scared of a lot of things. It's what makes me human. It's what makes us all human."

"But you're not human," he pointed out.

"Exactly."

Lyla looked away from Zac, heart clouded with emotions. It seemed like torture, to be so close to him but not able to do anything at all. She let out the breath she hadn't realized that she had been holding as she looked at Zac. His gaze was trained right on her, and though Lyla wanted to look away, she couldn't. Lyla's heart was pounding so hard that she could've sworn that Zac could hear it. _Stupid alluring eyes._ But she didn't want to break the silence with words.

Zac stood up and extended a hand towards her. "Come on."

Lyla took his hand and got up. He pulled her against him, slinging an arm around her shoulder. They both glanced at the brilliant vast ocean stretched out in front of them. "It's very beautiful," Lyla murmured, nodding at the sea. She admired the way the light from the sun complemented the waters. Vast and infinite. Powerful yet gentle.

"Yeah," Zac said, but he wasn't looking at the ocean. His dark gaze was trained on Lyla's, and she blushed. "Very beautiful indeed," he murmured.

Sighing contentedly, Lyla slung her arms around his neck. She felt him place his hands thrillingly on her waist. They were just standing there... It was something Lyla had never experienced before. It felt strange... but comforting at the same time. "What are we doing?" she whispered.

"Not dancing," he breathed.

Lyla blushed, embarrassed. _Not dancing._ Somehow, the moment still seemed romantic. She tilted her head upwards to look at him better. He leaned a little lower and pressed his lips against hers. All of the nerves in Lyla's body locked up as they kissed. It was soft and sweet, but there was no denying the power and intensity and lust in it. And then, somehow, Lyla knew that she wasn't meant to be apart from Zac. They were meant to be together. They fit together perfectly like a puzzle. They were complete together. It didn't matter what the others thought. Only they mattered.

"What's going to happen to us?" he asked her, still holding her.

"I don't know."

Somehow, Lyla figured things would turn out okay. Somehow. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she would be prepared. No, _they_ would be ready. Because she wasn't alone. And he wasn't about to leave her. But whatever was going to happen... well, that would be another day, right? And Lyla didn't need to know what to expect.

But they would do it together.

Just like the first time.

* * *

A/N: I'm so disappointed in myself. The ending sucks so much, and I could've— _should've_ —rewritten it much better. It should've went differently. I reread it, and it filled me with an unfinished feeling. Oh well. At least, the last two sentences sound better. Such a weak ending... But I had to end it _somewhere_ , right? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that three-shot of Lyla/Zac because I certainly loved writing it! I think I was holding myself back when writing this, but... what's done is done, right? Tell me what you think about it: like it? Love it? Hate it? (If you hated it, at least appreciate that I put in the time and effort in the story.) Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism _and_ praise) though not necessary. ;)


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